A Computational Framework to Predict the Soccer Ball Trajectory

We consider the problem of computing the soccer ball trajectory, that is, given the initial velocity, the initial angular velocity, the wind velocity, and the soccer ball geometry, we compute the soccer ball positions at different times during the ball flight. For the solution of this problem, the classical model of projectile motion considering only the gravity force has been equipped with fluid dynamics forces including eventual wind effects. Understanding these forces is essential for improving both gameplay and equipment design. The starting point of the proposed method is a deep revision of fluid dynamics results to provide an effective computational procedure for the evaluation of the drag force and the lift force on the soccer ball. The resulting computational framework is a quite flexible tool that allows the easy management of the main conditions affecting the ball trajectory. So, it can support the training activity and the ball design. Some numerical experiments show the efficacy of this computational tool.